Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Yep, this is what I really, REALLY look like - just ask anyone who has ever been on this side of my spy camera. (FYI: My spy camera is the one I can fit in my pocket, so beware! You could soon be on my candid camera.)

This week Jenny and her Alphabe-Thursday gang are celebrating the holiday season. Next week we will continue on with the alphabet.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Sunday afternoon, two weeks ago, was such a lovely day that my husband and I decided to explore Windy Ridge Conservation Area east of Peterborough. It was a warmish day (for December in Ontario) but there was a bit of haze.

Fence along part of the ridge

This time of year if the weather is nice, it's important to get out and enjoy it!

As you can see, there was a bit of snow...but not much. The trail was easy to see and in some places where the trail was facing southerly, it was muddy so we had to be careful not to slip.

Icicles on the picnic shelter

Icicles melted in the sun too.

Bluebird house

Grass poked up through the snow and several birdhouses seen from the trail were already eagerly awaiting spring. (And winter hasn't officially arrived yet!)

Today is the last day of autumn 2011. Officially winter begins tomorrow in the wee morning hours (12:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time).

This photo - taken last weekend - is of a shallow, slow moving creek at the side of a country road. Snow had fallen here when the water was higher, then as the creek water receded, chunks of icy snow were left suspended on the reeds.

To me, it looks more like spring than autumn. Since then the temperature has fallen significantly so I imagine it's all ice now.

Monday, December 19, 2011

One of my goals this year was to photograph a beaver in the wild. Spring, summer and fall, my husband and I saw beaver lodges but no beavers. Well, not quite true. One evening I saw a beaver but it saw me before I could click the shutter.

With less than two weeks till the end of 2011, my mission was a failure until...

One adult walked out onto thin ice and then dove in.

last Saturday when we spotted what looked like an active lodge. My husband spotted one beaver. YAY!

Then I saw TWO! They were at the edge of their lodge eating "yummy" branches. I think their meal must have tasted great because we could hear the beavers crunching the wood and bark.

Adult checking up on its kit

After a few minutes, one beaver shopped munching and headed out for a swim. Brrr. It must have heard its kit surface in a water hole in the ice a few feet away. Then a second kit appeared. And a third.

Adult and three kits swimming in a pool surrounded by ice

So not only had a I seen a beaver in the wild...but I got to see and photograph five of them!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Can you hear the siren blaring? NO?! I can... but perhaps that's because I'm just a kid at heart. This fire engine is part of a public bench on a main street in Seaforth and I just had to take a photo.

This week East Gwillimbury experienced a mix of rain and snow and even a few hours of sun.

Largest square: Canadian National passing through the outskirts of town under blue skies, which are usually very rare this time of year.

Moving clockwise: grass and cattails on the edge of a local creek, not yet frozen; snow on dried beech leaves; snow on young white pine tree; melted snow on back of fallen leaf; and black alder on edge of creek.
Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Monday, December 12, 2011

This is Creemore, Ontario, a village that claims to have North America's smallest jail - 15 by 20 feet. (FYI: There are three other towns in Ontario that make the same claim: Rodney, Coboconk and Tweed.)

Sign outside the jail

I did go inside (my choice) and the accommodations are sparse - three
small cells each with a bed, a blanket and a chamber pot. A wood burning stove in a narrow hallway in front of the
cells provides the only heat. Brrr.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Trees, sky and a building are reflected in a building near the dam in Bracebridge, Ontario. In some places you can see a double reflection, which I think is caused by the two layers of glass in the window.

If I remember correctly, the building in the left-hand corner is the train station.

Inside the building you can see a sign for the Bracebridge BIA (Business Improvement Area) and also light coming through part of a window.

To enjoy reflections from around the world, visit James at Weekend Reflections HERE

Power lines and towers owned by Hydro-One, the company that supplies the Province of Ontario with electricity.

As some of you already know (yes, my face is red), I mistakenly posted an E last week before I learned it was a D-week. Hmmm. If you would like to see my original E post on Elephants you can check it out HERE.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Mount Albert (a village in the Town of East Gwillimbury) has tons of spirit! Even though East Gwillimury has a Santa Claus parade every year (this year held on November 20th), Mount Albert has one too (this year on December 3rd).

Kids love being in a parade

I'm pretty sure last Saturday there were more kids in the parade than watching it. How can you not love a bunch of smiling happy kids?

The above photo was one of many groups but I included this one because the kids were dressed in such bright colours. As you can imagine, there were also groups of shepherds, kings, wise men, elves...well, you get the idea.

Kids and adults on a float

Okay, these floats didn't look polished like the ones you'd have seen in the Toronto Santa Claus Parade, but these were still fun. PLUS the participants were allowed to toss or hand out candy here, which I heard was illegal in Toronto.

Dog in sheep's clothing

Even animals were dressed up for the occasion! A few dogs along the route barked in approval.